Fuse-tongs.



G. ROBERTS.

FUSE TONGS.

APPLIoATIoN FILED SEPT. zo, 1913.

Patented July 28, 1914,

- useful Improvements in Fuse-Tongs; an

GUY ROBERTS, QF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

.FUSE-Teres- Specification of Iietters Patent.

Patented J ill-y 28, 191.4.

Application led September 20, 1913. ,Serial .N o. 790,889.

To all whom z't may concern 0 Be it known that I, GUY Renners, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, :have .invented ,certain new ,im n

do declare the following to be a1 full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to tongs, and has for its main object the production of tongs that can be readily used for handling fuses and other articles without danger of crushing or otherwise .damaging such articles.

The invention contemplates improvements in'tongs which necessitate the employment of few parts, vand in which the pivotal connectionof the jaws is such that a yielding action is obtained at said connection when the article beinghandled is firmly grasped, thereby preventing the jaws crushing lor otherwise damagingthe article, yet permitting said article to be held without danger of slippage or other accidental release.

In carrying out the invention as generally stated above it will, of course, be readily apparent that the essential features thereof are susceptible to changes in details and structural arrangements, one simple and practical embodiment being shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 1s a view 1n side elevation of the improved tongs as they appear in use. Fig. 2 is plan view thereof. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of the two members of the improved tongs.

The improved tongs comprise in their general organization a two-piece structure that is formed of two lengths of wire or other comparatively resilient material, one of such lengths being coiled at an intermediate point so that the convolutions of such coil form a pivot journal 1, from one end of which extends the shank 2 which may form a handgrip, or be provided with a handle 3. A jaw 4 is formed from the material that extends from the other end of the journal l. The other length of material is similarly coiled at an intermediate point, the convolutions being smaller than the convolutions of the journal 1, and form a pivot 5 that is rotatably mounted in raid journal, and said pivot has a shank 6, similar to shank 2, extending from dil one. end which may-be provided with a handle 7. A jaw 8 extends from the other endof pivot 5. The jaws 4 and -8 are similar Ain shape, and in the examples shown are formed by bending ,the .free porticn ,of :the material in the, form of'a convolute curve, then bending the ends thereof transversely of the pivot and journal and returning said ei'ds to points adjacent the convolutions of said pivot and journal. This roduces jaws that have concaved seats and w ich are especially adapted to grasp cylindrical fuses, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the fuse in suchv figure being designated by the numeral 9.

The 'action of the tongs is indicated in Fig. 1, the jaws 4 and 8 embracing the fuse 9, with the handles 3 and 7 in spaced rila- `tion. In such position, the fuse is firmly held, and inthe event of the handles beine pressed to the position shdwn by dotted lines 11i Fig. 1, the resistance offered by the fuse will be suiicient to cause the convolutions of vjournal l and pivot 5 to contract,

thereby preventing crushing of the fuse.

The invention is of particular utility in handling fuses and other fragile articles, and

insuch uses, the described manner of concaving the jaws 4 and 8 form the necessary seats in which the fuse is firmly held in position transversely 'of the jaws, yet through the medium of the yielding pivotal -connection between the two members of thetool, crushing strains can not be appliedv to the fuse. As a further aidto the jaws in maintaining a firm grip on the fuse, said jaws may have their gripping surfaces flattened, as indicated in Fig. 3.

The handles, when used in connection with the handling of fuses and other parts of electrical work, are, of course, made of insulating material, such as wood o-r other nonconductors.

AWhat I claim as my invention is l. Fuse tongs com osed of two members each formed from a single length of material shaped to provide shanks at their inner terminals, said members having an intermediate yielding pivotal connection, the outer terminals of theA members projecting forwardly from said pivotal connection and Ahaving bent portions that' extend transversely of the pivotal connection, the outer ends of the said I Ajaws being formed from a vsingle length of material having their inner terminals shaped to provide Shanks, the members being arranged in crossing relation and having intermediate portions shaped to permit a yielding connection, the outer terminals being projected forwardly from the pivotal connection and having downwardly and upwardly bent tions, saidouter terminals having portlons menons extending transverselyvof the pivotal connection and the free ends thereof having 15 downwardly and upwardly extending portions and terminating adjacent said pivotal connection to provide jaws having concaved seats that extend transversel of the tongs.

- In testimonyr whereof I a x my signature 20 in presence of two witnesses.

GUY ROBERTS.

L Witnesses:

ANNA G. SMITH, F. W. SMITH, Jr.

Gentes o! this patent may be obtained for ave cents each, byladnreissving tlie Uommissioner of Batents, l washington, n. es? 1 

